Definitely not camping! After the Inca Trail, I've determined that camping was a once and done experience :) We are hoping to do a nice walk on the afternoon of arrival and then a bit more of a hike the next morning/early afternoon before we head to Takayama.

Thanks so much, mrwunrfl, once more. I think I’m zeroing in on the itinerary. I will include Nara before Kyoto. I’m now thinking of eliminating Noto since I have mixed feelings of renting a car. And I just need to tinker with the coordination. But, for now, the trip will be:
Tokyo
Matsumoto
Okuhida/Kamikochi
Takayama
Kanazawa
Nara
Kyoto

I have time since so many places aren’t available to book till 6 months out. I still want to work out the timing of places, anllocation of days, and when and where to use the luggage forwarding. So honing in on the details. But overall, I think it feels manageable.

I’m not done but it feels like I have a working plan. So thanks, all, so far!

Note that there are two train stations in Nara, on different lines. The JR station is further from the center and the Deer Park. I used the Kintetsu line station (I stayed at the Toyoko Inn right across the street, but I think you are going more upmarket). Besides the Deer Park, a number of temples and a house museum I also did a sake tasting while I was in Nara.

Thanks thursdaysd, I’ll keep that in mind when we get to thr nitty gritty.,

Yes, progol, you a plan that works.
Hotels, Takayama, Kanazawa, Tokyo, Kyoto can be booked well in advamced and rebooked later.

Shirakawago is about halfway between Takayamai about 80 minutes from each. Day trip ok but a night in a gassho zukuri could make it special. The Otani family that runs Koemon is really nice. (only it is futon on floor, no real furniture, like a minshuku)

I did notice that Shirakawago is between Takayama and Kanazawa, and wondering again about moving on to the latter after visiting, thanks to that luggage forwarding thing. I see where that can really be helpful.

A one-night stop sounds lovely - I’ll need to think about it, though not sure how much we’re ready for the futon on the floor.😉

I took a look at some Okuhida youtubes last night. There is civilization up there, more than I imagined (feared). There is at least one hotel with western beds. Spectacular view (on a nice day) from the upper station at the top of the ropeway (altitude about 7000 ft or 2150 m).

Shirakawago video, lodging tour starting at 4:50

Thanks so much, mrwunrfl. The video looks interesting and worth a stop and possible overnight. I’ll start looking at the videos for Okuhida and get a better feel.

I get the feeling I’m not done tweaking my itinerary!

More on Shirakawa-go. Highly recommended.

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...gassho-zukuri/

Very charming! Thank you. We’ll definitely try to stay over and, if not, will certainly make a visit.

Am reminded that we are talking about staying in Ogimachi, Shirakawa-go.

The -go being some kind of adminstrative district and -machi meaning town.

I forget what the ogi means, maybe old or something. I think there are ogimachi in other places, but if you search for ogimachi you will probably find s-go, like here: Ogimachi Village - Shirakawa-go Travel (japan-guide.com)

I think Gokayama is the less-touristed nearby village that KimJapan would recommend.

Thank, mrwunrfl! I’m not sure if we’ll stay over in Shirakawago, but definitely seeing if we can make it work.

And the latest variation on the itinerary, as follows:
Tokyo - 3
Hakone - 2
Tokyo - 2/3
Matsumoto -2
Okuhida/Kamikochi - 2
Takayama - 3
(Shirakawago-1?)
Kanazawa - 3
Nara -2
Kyoto - 6

I like the idea of breaking up Tokyo to stay in Hakone. I’ve been trying to see how to work in a stay in Hakone as it sounds like there’s too much for a day trip (for us) and I don’t like long commutes to the next destination (Matsumoto). This way we can stay in 2 different areas in Tokyo as well. We’d be there toward the end of October so just before peak color change but perhaps getting a taste of it.

I would be concerned about jet lag and moving on from Tokyo after 3 nights. Your first night/day will be arrival day, then you have 2 days and you move on. That would be a lot for me. But staying in different locales could be appealing. I have done that sometimes in really big cities.

Thanks, yestravel. Yeah, it’s something to think about, though if we were doing a day trip, it would be twice as much energy to go and come back, so that’s another way of looking at it.😉

Otherwise, I will probably drop Hakone.

Tokyo is huge and complicated, not the best place to start after a lengthy flight. Any chance you would consider going straight on from Haneda to Hakone? According to Rome2Rio there is a direct bus that does it in two and a half hours, or train, train, bus in under two hours. I would opt to go on, but I didn't take to Tokyo. Actually, depending on when your flights lands, and whether you are in biz where you might get some sleep, I might spend the first night at an airport hotel and get started properly the next morning.

Further up my post, I considered starting in Kamakura and was discouraged from doing that. Hakone is a bit further on so I’m not sure it would make sense. I’d actually like to start in either place rather than Tokyo, but after a looong flight, another 2 1/2 hours isn’t something I want to do. We arrive around 4pm in the afternoon, so I suspect it still makes more sense to start in Tokyo.

If we do Tokyo in 2 parts, I thought starting in Asakusa would be a bit gentler, then returning and staying near/in the Tokyo Station or Ginza area.

I had that same dilemma re Hakone last trip and the one I am planning now. Too long for me for a day trip.

"If we do Tokyo in 2 parts, I thought starting in Asakusa would be a bit gentler, then returning and staying near/in the Tokyo Station or Ginza area."
Maybe it was me but I thought GInza, where we stayed, easier to negotiate than Akakusa. Tokyo Station [size=13px]itself[/size] was insane! Its like a city.

Good to know! I thought the area of Asakusa looked easier as a more traditional neighborhood but dealing with the stations are certainly a large part of it.

I figured the first day would be spent around Asakusa, thereby avoiding dealing with the station. But I’m certainly open to rethinking this.

I stayed in Asakusa my first trip to Japan and liked it. I spent my first night in Japan very close to Shinagawa station and went on to Kyoto the next morning, going back to Tokyo at the end of the trip. I liked the place I stayed in Asakusa, but it might be a bit basic for you (and it was in 2010): https://www.f-kamogawa.jp/english/